Zinifex, Umicore
Combine to Form
Top Zinc Maker

SYDNEY, Australia -- Australia's Zinifex Ltd. has agreed to combine its smelting assets with those of Brussels-based Umicore SA to create the world's largest zinc producer.

If the deal goes ahead as planned in the third quarter of 2007, the resulting smelting and refining entity will employ 4,500 people on four continents and churn out 1.2 million metric tons a year, or 10% of global demand -- displacing Korea Zinc Co. as the largest...